Removal of benzene by the indoor plant/substrate microcosm and implications for air quality

Orwell, RL; Wood, RL; Tarran, J; Torpy, F; Burchett, MD

Removal of benzene by the indoor plant/substrate microcosm and implications for air quality

Orwell, RL Wood, RL Tarran, J Torpy, F

Burchett, MD

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 2004, 157 (1-4), pp. 193 - 207
Issue Date:: 2004-09-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Orwell, RL	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Wood, RL	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Tarran, J	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Torpy, F https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9137-6948	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Burchett, MD	en_US
dc.date.issued	2004-09-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 2004, 157 (1-4), pp. 193 - 207	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0049-6979	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/3603
dc.description.abstract	The quality of the indoor environment has become a major health consideration, since urban-dwellers spend 80-90% of their time indoors, where air pollution can be several times higher than outdoors. 'Indoor' potted-plants can remove air-borne contaminants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), over 300 of which have been identified in indoor air. In this study a comparison was made of rates of removal of benzene, as model VOC, by seven potted-plant species/varieties. In static test-chambers, high air-borne doses of benzene were removed within 24 h, once the response had been stimulated ('induced') by an initial dose. Removal rates per pot ranged from 12-27 ppm d -1 (40 to 88 mg m -3 d -1) (2.5 to 5 times the Australian maximum allowable occupational level). Rates were maintained in light or dark, and rose about linearly with increased dose. Rate comparisons were also made on other plant parameters. Micro-organisms of the potting mix rhizosphere were shown to be the main agents of removal. These studies are the first demonstration of soil microbial VOC degradation from the gaseous phase. With some species the plant also made a measurable contribution to removal rates. The results are consistent with known, mutually supportive plant/soil-micro-organism interactions, and developments in microbially-based 'biofilter reactors' for cleaning VOC-contaminated air. The findings demonstrate the capacity of the potted-plant microcosm to contribute to cleaner indoor air, and lay the foundation for the development of the plant/substrate system as a complementary biofiltration system.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Water, Air, and Soil Pollution	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1023/B:WATE.0000038896.55713.5b	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences	en_US
dc.title	Removal of benzene by the indoor plant/substrate microcosm and implications for air quality	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	1-4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	157	en_US
utslib.for	0607 Plant Biology	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	1-4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	157	en_US

Abstract:

The quality of the indoor environment has become a major health consideration, since urban-dwellers spend 80-90% of their time indoors, where air pollution can be several times higher than outdoors. 'Indoor' potted-plants can remove air-borne contaminants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), over 300 of which have been identified in indoor air. In this study a comparison was made of rates of removal of benzene, as model VOC, by seven potted-plant species/varieties. In static test-chambers, high air-borne doses of benzene were removed within 24 h, once the response had been stimulated ('induced') by an initial dose. Removal rates per pot ranged from 12-27 ppm d -1 (40 to 88 mg m -3 d -1) (2.5 to 5 times the Australian maximum allowable occupational level). Rates were maintained in light or dark, and rose about linearly with increased dose. Rate comparisons were also made on other plant parameters. Micro-organisms of the potting mix rhizosphere were shown to be the main agents of removal. These studies are the first demonstration of soil microbial VOC degradation from the gaseous phase. With some species the plant also made a measurable contribution to removal rates. The results are consistent with known, mutually supportive plant/soil-micro-organism interactions, and developments in microbially-based 'biofilter reactors' for cleaning VOC-contaminated air. The findings demonstrate the capacity of the potted-plant microcosm to contribute to cleaner indoor air, and lay the foundation for the development of the plant/substrate system as a complementary biofiltration system.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/3603